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Can you recall your most cherished holiday memory?

The one that makes you feel cozy and warm when it comes to mind.

Maybe there are lit trees, or packages wrapped in bright paper, or family gathered together around a table full of food.

But for many families across our country and in our communities, a cherished holiday memory like this has become more of a dream than a reality. The rising cost of food coupled with other economic factors has contributed to a situation in which far too many families choose between basic necessities, with nothing left over for a special holiday meal.

In moments like these, River Bend Food Bank and its hunger relief partners like the DeWitt Referral Center Food Pantry come together in special ways to help close the gaps during the holiday season.

At the DeWitt Referral Center, people can access a wide variety of crisis assistance, and the food pantry is a vital part of that work. In recent years, a committed group of community members completed a capital campaign to fund a new building project that now houses both a thrift store and the food pantry, a one-stop shop for those in need. But the real heart and soul of this center is Michelle Ehlinger, executive director of the Center and a former food pantry client.

“It was 1992 and I pulled up on a motorcycle from California at one of the lowest points of my life. I’d just given a baby up for adoption and I was having some troubles; the director at the time was straight with me. She didn’t judge me, and I was afraid to come and ask for help. But anytime I would see her, she would call me by my name and offer me dignity. It was life-changing.”

Many years later, Michelle offers the same dignity for every client who walks through their doors.

“I was that kid who didn’t have stuff,” she says, “and I just want everyone to have what they need.”

That is a real feat for many families during the holiday season.

In the United States, nearly 38 million people faced food insecurity in 2022, including 12 million children, and the holidays exacerbate the situation with food banks reporting a 20%–30% increase in demand. These same increases are reflected at the DeWitt Referral Center. “We know that our numbers of who we served have doubled since July of last year. From June to July of this year alone, our numbers increased 30%, and so we’re anticipating that the holidays will require much more from us,” shared Carolyn Heathman, DeWitt Referral Center board member.

The Center is ready and willing to meet the increased holiday needs, starting with their sponsorship of a communitywide Thanksgiving dinner.

“We sponsor this dinner so that no one eats alone,” Michelle says. “Volunteers come and we open up the community center. We offer delivery, carry out, and dine-in and everyone is welcome to eat with us. And when some of our clients don’t want to eat in a big crowd, I just tell them:

‘I’ll eat with you. Because I never want anyone to eat alone.’”

And so, this holiday season as you consider where to put your time, talent, and treasure, we would be so grateful if you remembered people like Michelle and places like the DeWitt Referral Center with a gift to River Bend Food Bank. Every $1 you donate to the Food Bank buys 5 meals for people experiencing hunger — 5 meals that wouldn’t be possible without you.

When We Work Together, Anything is Possible!